Petrobras is advancing toward its goal of producing 2.145 MMbbl/d of oil in Brazil, recently bolstered by the start of oil production at the FPSO Cidade de Saquarema from the Lula Central system in the Santos Basin.

Anchored at a water depth of 6,955 ft (2,120 m), Petrobras said the FPSO went onstream with production stabilized at about 30,000 bbl/d. The FPSO vessel is connected to 8-LL-81D-RJS production well.

The complete scope of the Lula Central project, located in the Petrobras-operated BM-S-11 concession block, comprises 18 wells that include nine producers and nine injection wells. Partners include Royal Dutch Shell subsidiary BG E&P Brasil with 25% interest and Petrogal Brasil with 10%. Petrobras holds the remaining 65%.

SBM Offshore, a shareholder in the joint venture company that owns and operates the FPSO vessel, said Cidade de Saquarema is under a 20-year charter with Tupi BV in addition to an operations contract with the BM-S-11 consortium.

The vessel is capable of processing 150,000 bbl of oil and compressing up to 211 MMcf/d (6 MMcm/d) of gas. The vessel was previously a very large crude carrier. Its conversion took place at the CXG shipyard in China.

The Lula system is the second system to crank up this year, bringing the total number of presalt systems operating in the Campos and Santos basins to 10, Petrobras said. Combined, the nine presalt systems already operating in the presalt basins produced a record 1.24 MMboe/d, the company said.

Petrobras anticipates bringing its next presalt system, located in the Lapa Field, online in third-quarter 2016 through installation of the FPSO Cidade de Caraguatatuba.

Now that the Cidade de Caraguatatuba is official on hire, SBM Offshore’s Brazilian fleet rises to seven FPSO units with a combined capacity of 870,000 bbl/d, the company said.